Justin Abdelkader

A native Michigander, Justin Abdelkader was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 42) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. An alumni of Michigan State University, it was during his sophomore season (2007) where, in a tense Frozen Four Championship Game, he scored the game-winning goal with 18.9 seconds to snap a 1-1 tie with Boston College and propel the Spartans to an eventual 3-1 win. In helping Michigan State claim its third National Championship, Abdelkader was named to the all-tournament team and was the Frozen Four MVP.

Abdelkader was a member of the Red Wings practice squad called the “Black Aces” during the team’s Stanley Cup Championship run in 2008 and scored his first NHL goal in the Stanley Cup Finals the following year. The Muskegon, Mich., native solidified his roster spot and becoming a fixture on left wing during the 2009-10 campaign. On opening night in 2015-16, he became only the second Red Wings player in 70 years to score three goals in a season opener. Showing leadership qualities both on and off the ice, Abdelkader was named an alternate captain for the Red Wings prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.

Team Burns & Wilcox is excited and pleased to welcome Justin Abdelkader to our championship team: "Justin Abdelkader’s leadership on and off the ice match the distinctive, competitive qualities of the more than 2,000 associates at Burns & Wilcox,” said Alan Jay Kaufman, Chairman, President and CEO, H.W. Kaufman Group, parent company of Burns & Wilcox. “Results must be demonstrated on a consistent basis – whether entering the arena or the board room – to stay at the top of the game, and we welcome him to Team Burns & Wilcox."

"The support of a strong, family-focused organization and partner like Burns & Wilcox is exciting and I am proud to be a part of their team," said Abdelkader.